Land degradation assessment in Southern Africa: integrating local and scientific knowledge bases

Stringer, Lindsay C.; Reed, Mark

doi:10.1002/ldr.760

Cited by 124 publications

(103 citation statements)

References 68 publications

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“…For example, higher soil residue cover may prevent N losses during the non-growing season (good for the environment), but lead to reduced available N during the following growing season (bad for yields [39,40]). While some indicators of degradation are incontrovertible (e.g., gully formation), others are evaluated subjectively (e.g., livestock walk longer to reach water; [41]). It was this subjectivity that led to the heated debates of the 1990s surrounding soil degradation in SSA.…”

Section: Multiple Indicatorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The State of Soil Degradation in Sub-Saharan Africa: Baselines, Trajectories, and Solutions

et al. 2015

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Abstract:The primary cause of soil degradation in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is expansion and intensification of agriculture in efforts to feed its growing population. Effective solutions will support resilient systems, and must cut across agricultural, environmental, and socioeconomic objectives. While many studies compare and contrast the effects of different management practices on soil properties, soil degradation can only be evaluated within a specific temporal and spatial context using multiple indicators. The extent and rate of soil degradation in SSA is still under debate as there are no reliable data, just gross estimates. Nevertheless, certain soils are losing their ability to provide food and essential ecosystem services, and we know that soil fertility depletion is the primary cause. We synthesize data from studies that examined degradation in SSA at broad spatial and temporal scales and quantified multiple soil degradation indicators, and we found clear indications of degradation across multiple indicators. However, different indicators have different trajectories-pH and cation exchange capacity tend to decline linearly, and soil organic carbon and yields non-linearly. Future research should focus on how soil degradation in SSA leads to changes in ecosystem services, and how to manage these soils now and in the future. OPEN ACCESS

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Section: Multiple Indicatorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The State of Soil Degradation in Sub-Saharan Africa: Baselines, Trajectories, and Solutions

et al. 2015

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“…There is general consensus that success in combating land degradation and natural resource management can best be achieved with active involvement of affected populations in developing solutions, leveraging their knowledge and experiences and combining them with the knowledge of researchers and managers in all planning steps [10,[29][30][31][32][33][34].…”

Section: Environmental Awareness and Actionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soil and Water Conservation Strategies in Cape Verde (Cabo Verde in Portuguese) and Their Impacts on Livelihoods: An Overview from the Ribeira Seca Watershed

Baptista¹,

Fleskens

Ritsema

et al. 2015

Land

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Abstract:Severe land degradation has strongly affected both people's livelihood and the environment in Cape Verde (Cabo Verde in Portuguese), a natural resource poor country. Despite the enormous investment in soil and water conservation measures (SWC or SLM), which are visible throughout the landscape, and the recognition of their benefits, their biophysical and socioeconomic impacts have been poorly assessed and scientifically documented. This paper contributes to filling this gap, by bringing together insights from literature and policy review, field survey and participatory assessment in the Ribeira Seca Watershed through a concerted approach devised by the DESIRE project (the "Desire OPEN ACCESSLand 2015, 4 23 approach"). Specifically, we analyze government strategies towards building resilience against the harsh conditions, analyze the state of land degradation and its drivers, survey and map the existing SWC measures, and assess their effectiveness against land degradation, on crop yield and people's livelihood. We infer that the relative success of Cape Verde in tackling desertification and rural poverty owes to an integrated governance strategy that comprises raising awareness, institutional framework development, financial resource allocation, capacity building, and active participation of rural communities. We recommend that specific, scientific-based monitoring and assessment studies be carried out on the biophysical and socioeconomic impact of SLM and that the "Desire approach" be scaled-up to other watersheds in the country.

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“…Western science, in the positivist tradition, is considered nonbiased, objective and disconnected with human or spiritual values (STRINGER;REED, 2006). Bowers (1997Bowers ( , 2001) explains how western science, emerging from the enlightenment, is considered as high-status knowledge and maintains a human perspective of nature in which the individual, rather than the community, is the basic social unit (STRINGER; REED, 2006, p. 12).…”

Section: Understanding the Debate On Knowledge In Development Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The development sector is beginning to recognise knowledge as a pillar of equitable and sustainable development and to view knowledge sharing as one of the central challenges for socio-environmental development practice (STRINGER; REED, 2006). The problem is that these practices are still based on an appraisal of corporate experiences with knowledge management.…”

Section: Understanding the Debate On Knowledge In Development Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

Knowledge and culture: two significant issues for local level development programme analysis

Vasconcellos¹,

Sobrinho²

2014

Interações (Campo Grande)

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Abstract:The paper aims to propose a theoretical framework to analyse development programmes acting at local level. Particularly, the paper stresses two key concepts that should be taken into account in the process of implementing development programme at local level, namely knowledge and culture. The paper shows that understanding of knowledge as a social construction contrasts with the rational, positivist view of knowledge derived exclusively from a scientifi c viewpoint. The paper explains if development relates to increasing or improving people living standards through social and economic changes, then it will impact on, and be mediated through knowledge and culture. Key words: Knowledge. Culture. Local Development Programmes.Resumo: O artigo objetiva propor um arcabouço teórico para analisar programas de desenvolvimento e suas ações em nível local. Em particular, o artigo destaca dois conceitos-chave que devem ser levados em consideração no processo de implementação de programas de desenvolvimento em nível local: conhecimento e cultura. O artigo mostra que o entendimento do conhecimento enquanto construção social contrasta com a perspectiva racional e positivista de que este é derivado exclusivamente da ciência. O artigo mostra que se desenvolvimento é relacionado para a melhoria das condições de vida das pessoas por via de mudanças econômicas e sociais, então, desenvolvimento é mediado e impacta sobre conhecimento e cultura. Palavras-chave: Conhecimento. Cultura. Programas de Desenvolvimento Local.Résumé: L'article a pour objectif de proposer un cadre théorique pour analyser les programmes de développement et les actions qui en résultent au niveau local. En particulier, l'article identifi e trois concept-clés qui doivent être pris en considération dans la cadre de la mise en oeuvre des programmes de développement au niveau local : les concepts de connaissance et de culture. L'article montre que le fait d'appréhender la connaissance comme construction sociale contraste avec une perspective rationnelle et positiviste en vertu de laquelle la connaissance serait exclusivement le résultat de la science. L'article montre que le développement est lié à de meilleures conditions de vie des personnes à partir de changements économiques et sociaux ; à ce titre, le développement a une infl uence et produit des effets sur la connaissance et sur la culture. Mots-clés: Connaissance. Culture. Programme de développement local.Resumen: El artículo objetiva proponer un marco teórico para analizar los programas de desarrollo y sus acciones a nivel local. En particular, el artículo destaca dos conceptos claves que deben ser considerados en el proceso de implantación de programas de desarrollo a nivel local: el conocimiento y la cultura. El artículo muestra que la comprensión del conocimiento como una construcción social contrasta con la perspectiva racional y positivista de que se deriva exclusivamente de la ciencia. El artículo muestra que el desarrollo está relacionado con la mejoría de las condiciones de vida de las person...

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Land degradation assessment in Southern Africa: integrating local and scientific knowledge bases

Cited by 124 publications

References 68 publications

The State of Soil Degradation in Sub-Saharan Africa: Baselines, Trajectories, and Solutions

The State of Soil Degradation in Sub-Saharan Africa: Baselines, Trajectories, and Solutions

Soil and Water Conservation Strategies in Cape Verde (Cabo Verde in Portuguese) and Their Impacts on Livelihoods: An Overview from the Ribeira Seca Watershed

Knowledge and culture: two significant issues for local level development programme analysis

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